


the lions, the badgers, the eagle, and the snake

by iHarp



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, Mentions of Tiberius, Other, Pre-Stream (Critical Role), Rating subject to change, Slow Burn, Warnings May Change, brief warning that timelines may get/be fudged, obligatory Hogwarts AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-05
Updated: 2018-02-27
Packaged: 2018-12-24 03:35:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12004146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iHarp/pseuds/iHarp
Summary: Obligatory Hogwarts AU. When Vex'ahlia, Vax'ildan, and their group of friends return for their final year at Hogwarts, they hadn't expected to get involved in a Ministry conspiracy. And they most definitely hadn't expected to find a friend in Percival, the mysterious transfer student. Life has a funny way of working itself out, doesn't it?





	1. vex, walking down the street and meeting strangers

**Author's Note:**

> Ah! Most of the time, I'll put notes at the end, but I wanted to explain myself. I want to warn any potential readers that I have no beta readers, so forgive me for grammatical errors and sentences that wind on and on! I try to edit myself, but it probably doesn't end so well. I know that everyone likely has their own views about the characters and their houses, and I based my own ideas off other analyses I've read and my own personal thoughts. I'm not clear about everyone's house in this first chapter, but you'll soon find out where I placed them. Thank you all, and I hope you enjoy! Side characters/NPC's are bound to make an appearance soon. <3
> 
> (Disclaimer: My chapter titles will also almost always be lyrics from songs that inspire me during that particular chapter.)

“Thank you, again, for letting us stay with you this summer, Mr. Trickfoot. It really has been wonderful.”

Given the nearly deafening background noise of Platform 9 ¾, Vex’ahlia supposes that she should have expected the response she gets when elderly Wilhand Trickfoot raises a hand to his ear and calls out, “Eh, what was that now?” She can barely hear him herself over the clattering of trolleys against the bricks, the hissing of the massive steam engine behind her, and the chattering of hundreds of families saying their farewells.

Vex opens her mouth to repeat herself, but she’s beaten to the punch by a small blonde girl standing by the pair of them, who has a black and golden scarf around her neck despite the heat. A Head Girl’s badge is affixed to it, gleaming in the beams of morning sun coming in from the high windows of the train station. She leans in towards the old gnome of a wizard, saying rather loudly, “Vex is just thanking you for letting her and Vax stay with us this summer, Grandpa.”

“Wh-oh!” Comprehension dawns on the old man’s face as his snowy eyebrows shoot up into his hairline. He waves Vex’s remark off with a cheerfully dismissive hand. “Don’t think a thing of it, m’dear,” he says. “You and your brother are hardly the first young’un’s I’ve taken under my roof.”

With this, his gaze pointedly swivels to the pair a few yards off to their right. A massive, dark-skinned boy with wiry hair is guffawing over a doubled-over Vax’ildan, Vex’s twin, with a massive grin on his face. While such a sight might have normally made Vex smile, she finds that she can’t right now, feeling a slightly awkward twinge.

The circumstances that had led up to her and her twin brother needing a place to stay are far from pleasant, and if she’s being honest, she despises that they’d had to ask for help from anyone. Even one of their closest friends, Pike Trickfoot, and her grandfather. Owing debts had never been something that her nor Vax felt particularly comfortable with, no matter whom those debts were to. Despite the kind smile on his face, Vex knows that having had to care for her and Vax on top of his grand-daughter and their charge, Grog, had taken its toll. And that makes her… uncomfortable. She wishes that she could offer more than her thanks.

The brief awkward silence doesn’t last long. Wilhand makes a noise that’s halfway between a snort and a chortle. “Well, alright now, off with you all!” he barks, flailing his hands in the general direction of the train. “Don’t want to be late for your last year! Go on, go on!”

After giving her grandfather a tight goodbye hug, Pike calls over her shoulder, “C’mon Grog! Time to go!”

As the massive boy comes bounding over, shadowed by Vex’s brother, Vex gives Wilhand a gentle, hesitant hug of her own. Afterwards, she bends down to collect the cat carrier sitting at her feet, cooing to the sizeable feline within.

“S’alright there, Trinket,” she says in the low, babying voice that she only ever reserves for her sweet boy, “I can let you out soon, okay? Sit tight.”

While the meow that she gets is disgruntled and tired, Vex just smiles and lightly presses a kiss to the bars of the carrier. Trinket’s never been a fan of enclosed spaces, but it’s a necessary evil. “I love you, buddy. Just hang on.”

“Sooner we get on the train, Stubby, sooner you can let the cuddle monster out of his cage.” Vax comes up beside her and slings an arm over her shoulders. “C’mon. What do you say to one more year?”

Despite the easy grin on his face, Vex sees the underlying anxiety, the weight that her brother always carries on his shoulders. One more year means exactly that: just one more year of having it easy, having a roof over their heads, free meals, all the works, before they’re shoved out into the world. He hasn’t said anything about his worries, but he doesn’t have to. Vex can see them plain as day, and she gives him a gentle nudge to the ribs with her elbow.

“Sounds like another year of detentions for you and leaving me to take all your notes,” she teases him, at which he laughs (because he can’t even deny it, the idiot), and withdraws his arm. Just in time, it seems, for an explosion of red hair to collide into the four of them, accompanied by the ever-familiar cheerful squees of Keyleth Ashari.

“Hey, guys!” she greets them with a wide smile as soon as she’s pulled back from them. Vex brushes herself off after the embrace, mostly for the sake of her appearance and not wanting to look ruffled. She’s long since grown used to Keyleth’s displays of affection over the past several years. “How was the rest of your summer? Vax wrote me a letter that said you-”

“How about when we get on the train, Keyleth?” Vex finds herself saying before their dear friend could blurt out their predicament on a crowded platform full of people. “Not now.”

“Oh.” Keyleth blinks her large green eyes at them, before they widen in realization and she nods. “Oh, right. Okay! Come on, let’s go get some seats!”

“I hope there’s still a good compartment left,” Pike chirps from their sides. “I want to have a good look at the castle as we pull up to it! But the first years always get spread out so quickly and probably took all of them…”

“Can we beat ‘em up?”

Grog’s question is met with a chorus of ‘no’s from the rest of the group as they hastily pile onto the train.

Vex holds Trinket’s carrier close in the bustle; boarding is always difficult. The hoards of students are all trying to stick together whilst fighting the waves of other Hogwarts-bound children as everyone tries to find seats before the train’s departure. If she weren’t so used to the chaos, she’d probably be angry at all the shoving and shouting. As it is, she only feels the slightest pinpricks of irritation as she struggles to follow Pike, Grog, Keyleth, and her brother.

Vex feels her stomach drop when she realizes there’s someone that they’re missing.

“Hey, has anyone seen Scanlan?”

There’s a pause as the five of them all look around as though their final friend might have joined them without their realizing. 

“No…” Pike eventually replies, sounding unsure and a little baffled. Despite his short stature, their friend is rather hard to miss, and when they’re all together, he’s never far. “But I  _ do _ have to get to the Prefects’ carriage, I guess. If you guys are going to head further back on the train, I can just point him in your direction if I see him?”

“That’s fine, Pickle,” Vax says with a nod. “You send the Scan-man back to us, we’ll save a seat for him as always. If he’ll even part with you, that is.”

The sigh that Pike gives is one born of years of accepting, tired annoyance. “There  _ is _ that,” she answers begrudgingly. “Well, if I’m going to head that way, I might as well get going. Promise me you’ll try and find a good one? On the west side of the train. I’ll come and find you guys later, okay?”

“Alright, bye, Pike,” Grog says mournfully as their small friend turns and shimmies off into the crowd. He pauses, and then asks, “Which… er, which side’s the west side, then?”

“It’s this one, Grog,” Keyleth supplies, pointing with a smile. “Pike’s right, the view of the castle’s bound to be just  _ gorgeous _ from this side! We should hurry if we want to get one to ourselves.”

“Then what’re we waiting around here for, lollying about with our thumbs up our arses?” Vax asks them, already beginning to soldier ahead. “Let’s go!”

It’s so easy to fall back into the rhythm of being with their friends, Vex muses as she holds the cat carrier close and steels herself to follow them down the crowded way. Grog’s booming voice, Keyleth’s wide smiles, they bring a welcome relief to her tattered nerves, and serve as a clear reminder of where they’re headed. Even several paces behind him, she can also see a great deal of the tension in her brother’s shoulders loosen, and her nerves ease even more.

She swears her friends have a magic all their own.

They wind their way down the train, their hope for finding an empty compartment beginning to dwindle slightly the longer they go. But eventually, Vex stops at a closed door when she catches a glimpse of the compartment within.

It has one occupant, a masculine-looking figure that she doesn’t recognize huddled in one of the far corners of the seat, so curled in on himself that she almost misses him in her cursory glance. Trailing behind their ragtag group, she pauses long enough to consider their chances of finding an emptier compartment, which is also evidently long enough for her brother to notice her vanishing from his peripheral vision.

“Oi, Stubby! What’s keeping you?”

Vex is continuing to eye the boy in the compartment, and not just because this compartment might be their best bet.

His hair is  _ white _ . It’s offputting to see on a boy who can’t be older than they are, though it’s not weird so much as it’s startling to look at for a moment. He’s already wrapped in his Hogwarts robes, which seem secondhand and are blank of any House colors, and the way in which he stares out the window makes him seem forlorn and alone. It strikes something in her, and she can’t help but be compelled to open the compartment door. The sensation isn’t helped by the knowledge that even though he looks their age, she’s simply never seen him before, which is something of a feat approaching their final year at school. But she doesn’t.

“This one looks taken,” Vax remarks, suddenly very close to her; she hadn’t noticed his approaching into her space. “The bloke looks like he could use to be left alone.”

“Who’s he?” Grog grumbles as he also appears, bending his head down just so he can see through the compartment window. “Never seen ‘im before.”

“Ooh, a transfer, maybe?” Keyleth supplies as she also peeks in. “I wonder why anyone would transfer for their last year… if he’s a seventh year, that is. Do you think so?”

Vex has to resist the urge to sigh at how obvious they’re being, clustering around this singular doorway and peering inside like tourists viewing a caged animal in a zoo. Not to mention they’re clogging up the corridor, and people are making annoyed noises and giving them miffed glances as they try to weave around the group. Vex tries to make herself shrink to give other students more space. Their only blessing, she supposes, is that the boy in the compartment doesn’t seemed to notice them, either too oblivious or melancholy to spot the hoard now gathered outside his door.

Somehow she gets the feeling that it’s more of the latter than anything else.

“The only way to find out is to ask, and I’m not about to bother him,” Vax remarks, sounding unimpressed. When Vex looks over to him, there’s an unreadable expression on his face, and she finds it surprisingly difficult to tell what he’s thinking. He doesn’t trust  _ something _ about this stranger, but what it is, she doesn’t know. She’s not sure he does, either.

“Oh, but he looks so sad!” Keyleth says, not looking away from the window. “We should cheer him up, especially if he’s new and alone. That’s why you stopped, isn’t it Vex?”

Vex shrugs when her friends’ attentions swivel to her. “I saw a compartment that was almost empty,” she admits, also not wanting to admit that, on some level, she agrees with Keyleth. The boy looks rather pitiful in there, and she can’t help but feel a little bit of curiosity as to why. “I figured we could at least stop in and ask if he minds company. I’m sure Pike and Scanlan won’t mind.”

“If he don’t want us in there, we can just kick ‘im out,” Grog suggests.

He’s met with an immediate protesting sound from Keyleth. “Grog, we can’t do that! We shouldn’t kick someone out-”

“Alright, alright,” Vax says with an impatient sigh. “Points taken. Let’s just see if he’ll let us sit with him, and if not, we keep looking. Yeah?”

“But there’s only one of ‘im and four of us-”

“ _ Grog _ .”

While their massive friend looks baffled and frustrated, he seems to concede regardless with a huff and a noncommittal shrug. “Alright, then,” he grumbles, though he makes no move to open the door. “We’ll  _ ask _ .” He draws out the word like it’s a boring and disgusting idea.

When nobody else takes the initiative, Vex realizes the task has wordlessly fallen to her, and she lets out a sigh as she reaches out to undo the latch.

The boy’s head whips up with startling speed as she slides the door open, and she’s startled by the crystalline blue eyes that meet her gaze. Vex pauses as she briefly takes in his gaunt, angular features, and the gold-rimmed spectacles sitting atop his nose. He says nothing, simply watching her, and she finds herself once again having to take the lead.

She offers him what she hopes is an encouraging smile. “Excuse us, darling, but we were wondering if you’d mind us sharing this compartment with you. We have two more that’ll be joining us, and most other compartments are fairly full.” And, to add on some flare, “We’d be  _ ever _ so grateful if you’d be willing to let us sit here.”

His eyes flicker to each of them, and while Vex has absolutely no idea what he could possibly be thinking (he has a remarkably good stoneface, she decides), it’s clear that he’s sizing them up. There’s a moment’s pause, as they all wait, before he finally says in a surprisingly low, gravelly voice,

“That’s agreeable.”

Vex can’t help but raise her eyebrows; he sounds aristocratic, not unlike the pureblooded airheads that her father used to bring around his house. Glancing towards her brother and seeing the suddenly dark expression on his face, she can tell he notices the same thing.

Their friends, however, seem to think nothing of it, as Keyleth exclaims a cheery, “Great!” and Grog just looks disappointed that he didn’t get to threaten someone with bodily harm.

Settling in is admittedly a little awkward. As the four shuffle in, it becomes remarkably clear that the only one who appears to have the slightest idea of how to act and situate themselves is Keyleth… but even then, she seems oddly comfortable in just plopping down next to the stranger. Vex isn’t entirely sure that sitting so close to him is appropriate after only having met him less than a minute ago, but she says nothing.

She can’t seem to take her eyes off him, though, curious and bewildered by his presence, and she sits opposite him with Trinket’s carrier on her lap. Vax immediately sits next to her, throwing an arm across the back of their seat and over her shoulders; whether he’s simply feeling relaxed at finally having found the seat or unnecessarily protective with a stranger in the room, she’s not certain (though she thinks it’s a fair mixture of both). Grog takes a stiff, tentative seat near the door on her side, angling himself to face the white-haired boy as though watching a dangerous animal.

“So, hi!” Keyleth seems to be the only one unaffected by the awkwardness, a bright and beaming smile on her face as she turns to their new compartment-mate. “My name’s Keyleth Ashari, and then this is Grog.” She gestures to the hulking dark-skinned boy behind her, and then waves her hands towards the twins on the other side. “This is Vax and Vex; Vax is the boy, Vex is the girl. We have other friends coming too, but, it’s just us for now! Thanks for letting us sit with you, and what’s your name? Where are you from, what-”

“Keyleth,” Vex drones in warning, still watching the boy curiously. He seems to just quietly be taking everything in, and he at least doesn’t look overwhelmed.

“Sorry, just, we don’t get to meet  _ new _ people very often, unless they’re new first years,” Keyleth says apologetically, half to Vex and half to the boy huddled at the window. “Are you going to be a seventh year, like us? You look about our age-”

“Yes.” The answer is quiet, but firm, as he seems to accept that conversation with them is inevitable. “I’m…  Percy. I had a year left of my education to fulfill and Hogwarts was gracious enough to accommodate me.”

Despite the information that the newly introduced Percy gives them, Vex can hear the reluctance behind his voice to give up any more than that. She watches as Keyleth opens her mouth to presumably ask a followup question, to press for more, and Vex finds herself interrupting,

“Keyleth, how was the rest of your summer? Your last letter said you and your dad had a lot of fun at Dover.”

“Oh! Oh, yeah, the cliffs were beautiful! I took some pictures if you guys want to see-” Keyleth starts scrounging around in her bag for the photos, and for the moment, she’s distracted.

For the next two or three hours, they manage to keep themselves occupied with casual conversation, joking around, and their normal tomfoolery. Vex lets Trinket out of his carrier (after making sure their new companion would be fine with it, of course), and the massive tom cat goes about and gives his greetings to each of the occupants of their compartment. Including Percy, which pleasantly surprises Vex, and she immediately decides that he’s a halfway decent sort when he gives her precious pet a scratch behind the ears.

Keyleth tries twice to ask the twins about their summer, to which they both glance over towards Percy and give noncommittal answers and promises to talk about it later.

Over the course of their conversation, Vex watches as their accidental friend begins to open up a bit more. He interjects every once in a while, but almost never says anything about where he’s from, what he’s doing, or really much about himself at all. But he seems curious, and he’s listening to what they’re saying as though absorbing everything he can.

Vex likes him well enough to hope that he’ll still hang around them a little once they reach school.

Eventually, though, about halfway through the train ride, they’re joined by Pike again. She’s accompanied by another young man, who’s humming a tune as he follows her into the compartment with green and silver robes already adorned.

“Oi, Scanlan, where’ve you been?” Grog booms.

“Well, you see, Grog, funnily enough, it seems like our illustrious Slytherin Prefect was elevated to Head Boy this year, which means…” Scanlan grins mischievously as he flashes a shiny Prefects’ badge at everyone in the compartment.

“They gave it to you, did they?” Vax asks, quirking an eyebrow. “Well, as long as  _ someone _ thought it was a good choice. Congratulations, though, man.”

The subsequent sigh that comes from Pike indicates exactly what  _ she _ thinks about the situation, but she gets distracted when she notices the new fellow in their company. “Hello!” she greets him with a wide smile and a gentle voice. “I’m Pike Trickfoot. You must be a transfer! I’m the Head Girl this year, so if you need absolutely anything, you can feel free to ask, okay?”

“Percy,” their new friend answers, looking more at ease already. Pike has that effect on people, Vex figures. “And I will. Thank you.”

“And the name’s Scanlan. Scanlan Shorthalt, at your service. What were you all up to whilst I was patrolling the corridors with our beautiful, incredibly talented Head Girl?” Scanlan offers as he settles in next to Vax. He almost sits on Trinket, who lets out an indignant meow and lumbers across Vax’s lap to Vex’s, where he lays down with a huff.

Just like that, their group is back together again, and it’s almost easy to forget that summer had ever happened. Vex revels in the distraction, and feels more relaxed than she has in months as the afternoon wears into the evening hours. 

When the snack trolley comes around, though, Vex nor Vax purchase anything from it while the others fall on the candies and little cakes that the trolley lady has to offer. Vex’s feeling of bliss recedes as the shame wells up in her stomach; neither her nor her brother have any money with which to buy anything. (It’s only by the grace and generosity of Pike and her grandfather that they could even get their books and supplies for this school year, she recalls with a twinge.) If anyone notices, they don’t say anything as all of their friends simply offer the twins some of their own food, and she can’t help but be touched by their wordless selflessness.

Especially when Percy offers her and her brother almost everything he’d purchased, save a Chocolate Frog or two for himself. Vax, suspicious of the offer, doesn’t take anything. Vex, however, offers their new white-haired friend a small, grateful smile before taking some Pumpkin Pasties for herself.

The sky outside their compartment window steadily darkens, and eventually, the time comes for them to don their robes and prepare for their arrival at school.

“Oh, there it is, you guys!” Pike coos as the train pulls around a bend and it begins to slow. “It’s our last year!”

Everyone clusters around her at the window to get a better look.

The sight of Hogwarts castle looming over the Black Lake greets them, hundreds of golden lights piercing the darkness as the black silhouette of the numerous towers stretches up into the starry night sky. It’s a view that never fails to inspire a sense of wonder in Vex, and she can still remember how excited and awe-stricken she’d been as an eleven-year old girl (even though she’d almost vomited off the boats carrying them across the lake), seeing it for the first time.

A lot has changed since then. Her smile melts at the thought.

Still, as the train eventually slows and comes to a complete halt, and they gather their belongings (Trinket isn’t eager to get back in his carrier), she can’t help but feel a sense of eagerness and joy. School in and of itself isn’t the most fun, but being with her friends? It makes everything worth it.

And, as she looks out of the corner of her eye to see Percy pulling down a tattered leather bag from above the seats with the help of Grog, it looks as though she may very well have one more friend to add to that list in the near future. Especially given the heartfelt well-wishes they all give him when he’s escorted from the platform to have his Sorting done before the feast before they find their own way to the carriages.

As they settle in for the ride, all of them managing to squeeze into a single carriage, Vex feels that same excitement and happiness grow. It’s time to start their last year at Hogwarts.


	2. vex, i would always open up the door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously, Vex and her band of friends found and seemed to befriend a new, mysterious transfer student named Percy as they made their way to Hogwarts for the beginning of their final year at Hogwarts.

She tries not to be disappointed when Percy doesn’t seem to be back in time for the opening feast. Even though she’s spent only a couple of hours with him, Vex is positive she’d recognize that head of snowy hair in any crowd, and she can’t spot him at any of the house tables that line the Great Hall. And while she isn’t particularly surprised, she can’t help the slight sadness when he isn’t waiting for her, her brother, and Grog in the Gryffindor Common Room either.

He hadn’t really seemed the Gryffindor sort, regardless. Then again… she supposed she never had, either.

“We’ll see him and the others again tomorrow,” Vax tells her quietly as they get ready to go up to their dormitories. He knows her too well, damn him. She hopes that she doesn’t look too obviously depressed. “Night, Vex.”

“Night, brother,” she responds automatically as she ascends the stairs.

Despite the comfortable, warm beds, and the feeling of Trinket’s hulking feline form curled up at her hip, Vex has trouble sleeping that night. It isn’t the excitement over new classes and being back with their friends that keeps her awake, though, but rather the grief, anger, and regret that well up in her stomach now that she’s alone with time to think.

This summer should never have happened the way it did. She closes her eyes tight as though that might keep the tears at bay, but it doesn’t.

She lays for a long time like that, as silent sobs wrack her body. She’s grateful that she doesn’t wake any of her dorm-mates, because Vex is positive she wouldn’t be able to bear it if any of them started to feel pity for her. More than they probably already do, after seeing her sorry excuse for luggage. It’s only Trinket, as he stirs and kneads at her stomach whilst quietly purring, that seems to notice in his own way. Vex reaches down and pulls him closer to her, burying her face in his thick fur. She knows she wouldn’t make it without him.

When morning finally comes and she sees the dark circles under her twin’s eyes as he descends the stairs with a bleary-eyed Grog, she knows he had a similiar night.

But classes start today, which means distractions are about to be plentiful and they’ll finally have things to keep them busy rather than the distressful and awful reality of their situation. So Vex happily carries all of her textbooks down with her to the Great Hall, and is more than ready to get started. (She’s sweating a little by the time they reach it; the textbooks are heavy and she’s decidedly regretting carrying all of them at once, but she refuses to let Vax help her.)

As they enter, though, she _does_ see a head of white hair settled at the Ravenclaw table.

Vex isn’t surprised, even though she doesn’t know what she’d expected. She smiles, though, when she sees a familiar head of fiery red hair already hovering near him. If she’d had any doubts about whether or not Percy would be welcomed into their little party, they were now erased.

Without even thinking, her feet carry her in that direction. She hears a quick protest from her brother before Vax joins her, and an unintelligible grunt from Grog that he’s going to get his food.

“-we don’t have our timetables yet, I’m not sure which classes we’ll have together, but you know if you have any with Hufflepuff, you can sit with me or Pike!” Keyleth is avidly saying as Vex and Vax approach.

Even though Percy is busy aristocratically munching through toast (how he even manages to make _that_ look proper, Vex has no idea), it’s easy to see that he’s listening. He swallows and nods, glancing up at Keyleth and murmuring a gentle, “Thank you,” before his gaze focuses in on the new arrivals. Vex instinctively smiles in response to the small one that appears on his face at the sight of them. “Good morning,” he greets them.

“Morning,” Vax says gruffly before Vex has a chance to answer. “So, they stuck you with the know-it-alls, did they? They’ll probably suit you.”

“I take it as the highest compliment,” Percy responds. If he’d noticed the odd animosity in Vax’s voice, he doesn’t show it. As he looks between her brother and her, Vex swears it’s almost as though he’s sizing them up in a way he hadn’t yesterday, as though his new place within the school has granted him a semblance of confidence. “The pursuit of knowledge is a vastly underrated one, I’d say, and I’m honored your Sorting Hat thought it was my calling.”

“Well, even if you’re not in any of our Houses,” Keyleth supplies, “I mean, you’re welcome to sit with any of us, okay? You’ll always have one of us with you! Not that I mean that literally, or in a weird way, and if you want to sit with your own House, that’s, you know, I just-”

“The offer is much appreciated, Keyleth, thank you. I’ll be sure to keep an eye out in my timetable for when Ravenclaw is paired with Hufflepuff. And… Gryffindor, is it?” Percy looks between the twins before he moves on, “And your friend Scanlan, he’s a Slytherin, yes?”

“All correct,” Vex tells him. Some movement from the staff table, however, hints that timetables are about to get distributed. Immediately, she tugs on Vax’s arm and smiles at Keyleth, and then at Percy. “We’ll see you both later, then?”

“Yeah, bye guys!” Keyleth says happily as she sinks into a seat at her table, which is right across the aisle from Percy’s chosen seat.

Percy simply nods with a small smile in answer to her question as Vex and her brother depart towards the far Gryffindor table.

Vex glances at her brother as they go. There’s something in him whenever they’re around Percy that seems to shut down; yesterday, she had attributed it to a disgruntled mood. This morning, it doesn’t feel like a coincidence. But as they get to their own table and join Grog for breakfast, it disappears as though it never existed, and Vex is left to puzzle over it while she butters some toast and waits for her timetable to reach her.

As suspected, her and her brother’s schedules are mostly similiar, with a few exceptions. Vax hadn’t managed to make it into NEWT level Herbology (which Vex knows upset him deeper than he’ll ever let on, since it ruined his prospective career idea of going into Healing), while she had, and so where he has a spare period on Tuesdays and Thursdays, she has that. Transfiguration with the Hufflepuffs, Potions with the Ravenclaws, Charms with the Slytherins, so on and so forth. The only other main difference is that where he has Divination, she has Care of Magical Creatures, but she’s pleased to see they’ll spend most of their time together anyway.

First up is Transfiguration, and Vex, Vax, Grog, Keyleth, and Pike (who arrived at breakfast partway through), all head to the classroom on the first floor in anticipation for their first lesson.

When there’s a pretty stranger with long, golden braids draped over her shoulders sitting at the desk in the front of the classroom, however, Vex is surprised. When she glances towards her friends questioningly, Pike offers a knowing smile.

“She’s our new Transfiguration professor,” she supplies, patting Vex on the arm. “The Headmaster introduced her last night during the feast. Professor Vysoren, that’s her name. I thought I saw you spacing out at the Gryffindor table. Is everything okay?”

“Of course,” Vex responds automatically. This isn’t the time or place to even begin to touch that topic with Pike and their friends, and her stomach lurches. She’d hoped that classes would serve as a distraction from all of that, but perhaps she’d hoped too soon. “Sorry, I just-”

“It’s okay.” Pike knows her too well, and gives her a gentle squeeze. “We’ll talk later, okay? Come on, let’s get seats! She looks like she’s going to be really nice.”

That much is true, Vex supposes, as she gives their new professor another cursory glance. This Professor Vysoren can’t be more than ten years out of school; if Vex didn’t know any better, she’d actually guess that their new professor was about their age. It makes her wonder why the school hired her; most of their professors are crotchety and old (or plain insane, like the crazy Potions master that everyone just affectionately calls ‘Victor,’ who just looks like a potion’s exploded in his face literally all the time), and a young and fresh face is pretty rare. Her only estimate is that this new professor either really knows her material, or the Headmaster had only been looking at her slim, attractive form when he’d hired her.

The classroom is set up with round tables that seat multiple people, instead of the typical desks that seat two, so their small group is relieved to be able to cluster together around one of them together. Normally, classes with Hufflepuffs mean that someone has to get left out.

Their new professor rises from their seat a few minutes after their lesson start time, a small smile adorning her face that Vex could swear almost seems nervous. “Good morning,” she says, and raises her wand with a flourish. “As you heard, Professor Adlam made the decision to retire over the summer, and the school’s hired me to take on his subject matter and teach Transfiguration here. I’m nowhere _near_ old enough for you to call me Professor Vysoren, so please feel free to call me Allura, yes? As seventh years, I’ll hopefully cover some of the most advanced magics that Transfiguration can offer, and I hope by the end of this year you’ll feel confident with the material and be able to use some of this knowledge in your day-to-day lives.

“Now, if you wouldn’t mind opening up your textbooks to the second chapter, we’ll see if we can’t start covering human transformations…”

Even though there’s no spellwork and half of the lesson is Allura outlining their syllabus, Vex thinks it had been a halfway decent class, and they’re covering material that’s actually interesting this year. But as the lesson is wrapping up and the students are all making beelines for the door, she hears from over her shoulder,

“Vex’ahlia, Vax’ildan, I was wondering if the two of you might be willing to stay behind for a moment, please?”

The twins freeze in the doorway, as their friends all give them quizzical looks and pause with them.

“I won’t keep them long, and they’re not in any trouble, I promise you,” the new professor assures them. “I just wanted to have a word.”

“Well, we ought to get down to the greenhouses,” Pike says cautiously, looking between the twins and Professor Vysoren. “It’s a long walk and we shouldn’t be late for our first day in Herbology…”

“I promised Percy we would meet him right by the main doors!” Keyleth chirps.

“I’ll wait for ‘em,” Grog booms, taking a stance right outside the door as though to make a point. “We got… Charms next, I think, right? It ain’t far.”

“It’s alright, we’ll… we’ll be right out,” Vex tells them in what she hopes is a reassuring voice, even though she already has a hollow feeling of apprehension that she knows exactly what their new professor wants to talk to them about. From the stormy, sick looking expression on her twin’s face, she can tell he’s thinking the same thing.

Allura smiles at them as they approach her desk. It’s the kind of smile that someone gives someone at a funeral, the kind that makes Vex hate the tatters on her robes, the wear of her secondhand textbooks, and the dark circles under her eyes. There’s a beat of awkward silence before she opens her mouth to speak,

“I promised that I would make this quick, and I’d hate for my first act as Transfiguration professor to be to make the pair of you late for other lessons, but I _did_ want to express my deepest sympathies for what happened to your mother this past summer.”

“How do you know about it?” Vax asks immediately, but he doesn’t sound angry. Just frustrated and tired. “Is it something that got spread around to all the professors?”

Allura looks between the pair of them. Vex doesn’t know what to say, or do, other than fold her arms across her chest and avoid looking at their new professor head on, the shame welling up in her like a festering wound. Is it really so obvious?

“Not quite. The board of governors presided over my interview, and your father-”

“Our father’s done enough,” Vax growls suddenly, to the point that Vex puts a hand on his arm and gives him a warning glare. Still not the time, or place, nor is this the appropriate audience. He shrugs her off. “Whatever you heard from him, it’s not the whole truth, and we don’t need anyone’s help.”

If the professor’s ruffled by his outburst, she doesn’t show it. She simply keeps looking at them with a contemplative expression, and the small, sad smile remains on her face. “While I’m sure that’s true, I just wanted to let you know that if you needed to talk about anything, my door is open.”

Before her brother can say anything else, Vex clears her throat and finds herself saying, “Thank you, Professor, but… I think we’re alright.”

“Please, call me Allura. But I’m not going to argue with you, and you have your next lesson to get to. Thank you for staying behind, and I’ll see you next class, yes?”

All Vex can do is offer a shaky smile and a nod before she and her brother turn to depart. They barely have enough time to pull themselves together before Grog meets them outside, where he gives them an awkward once-over and simply starts walking with them. Eventually, he rumbles,

“You alright?”

“Yeah, Grog. Just fine,” Vax replies as they get into the stairway and start heading up another floor.

Other than that, it’s not that exciting for a first day. Although, after lunch, she’s pleasantly surprised to discover that she and Percy are both heading down to the grounds for Care for Magical Creatures.

“You enjoy the outdoors, then?” she asks him as they stroll down the pathway to the paddocks together; after having realized they were both headed for the same place, she’d invited him to walk with her. He hadn’t asked nor approached her, and she’s under the impression that he wouldn’t have the entire time they were outside because that seems to be just who he is.

He looks around them for a moment, looking ponderous, before he replies, “Not nearly as much as some others might, I imagine, but it’s nice to be out in the sunlight every once in a while. I, ah, I’ve always been much more of an indoor bookworm.”

“But you wanted to take Care of Magical Creatures?”

“It was either this or Divination for this time slot, and between you and I, I’ve never had much faith in the predictions of the cosmos or whatever it is they study,” Percy explains easily. Vex can’t help but notice the stark difference between his guarded silence from the day before and the somewhat confident guise he’s presenting now. It makes it easier to walk and talk with him, as though he’s always been a student here and a friend. If she could really call him that.

She smiles regardless. “I completely understand,” she says. “My brother’s always been more into that side of magic.”

“You’re not, I take it?”

Vex shrugs, and isn’t entirely sure how to answer. She isn’t used to anyone asking her such thoughtful questions about herself. “I mean, I suppose I’m not _against_ it,” she replies. “But I would also just much rather study animals and be outdoors. That’s far more my specialty.”

“I see.”

There are so many things that they could ask each other, talk about, but Percy doesn’t press, so neither does she. Vex can only imagine how many questions Keyleth’s tried to ask him by now, and perhaps even Pike and Scanlan, but she somehow doubts that he’s given much up, if anything at all. His accent suggests that he’s at least from around the United Kingdom. As a transfer, he didn’t come from a far off place like Durmstrang or Ilvermony. The way he carries himself, the way he speaks, she also can’t help but shake the feeling that she’d had the day before, that he’s some kind of aristocracy. Pureblood aristocracy. But he hasn’t asked about blood status, and doesn’t seem to care.

Percy just seems to be an interesting mystery, and she’s glad for his company.

For now, that’s all that matters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few things: FIRST OFF, a massive thank you to all you lovely people that commented! Seeing them made my days when they appeared, as well as the kudos! So thank you thank you thank you for the encouragement! It kickstarted me into actually making a concerted effort in continuing on and plotting things out. I just have a general idea for where I want this fic to go, so there's going to be a lot of me feeling things out and going with the flow as I write. Thank you for bearing with me, and bearing with this madness! My biggest insecurity is writing the characters, hh, but hopefully people enjoy.
> 
> Second, I forgot to do it with the first chapter, but my initial intent was to label each chapter with its narrator, because I *will* be bouncing around here or there with POV. The main narrator will be Vex, but there will be chapters (like the third) that will be from someone else's.
> 
> Third, I hope you guys keep enjoying! I know this chapter was shorter, but it turned out that this was a good place to cut off exposition and start getting into a story. I'm not sure how regular my updates will be, but I'll try and keep a goal for myself that I'll update this fic at least once every two weeks! Thank you all so much, this fandom is amazing, and I'll be sure to update as soon as I feel comfortable.


	3. vax, fear is just a word they can't define

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously, Vox Machina started out their final year at Hogwarts meeting their new Transfiguration professor, who seemed to know more about Vax and Vex's summer than they were comfortable with. Also, Percy gets more integrated into their social crew. (This chapter will be from Vax's point of view.~)

Vax has always liked to think that he’s a fairly decent judge of character. While not necessarily trusting, or open, it’s always been somewhat easy for him to tell who’s a genuine person and who isn’t. It’s why, when an awkward but bouncy Keyleth had approached them their first year on the train, Vax had let her sit with them without hesitation (much to his sister’s chagrance). It’s why when an oafish Grog had sat next to them at their Sorting feast and had ended up sharing a dormitory with him, Vax had started letting the big guy tag along with them wherever they went with his kind and cheery best friend Pike. Even Scanlan, for all his flaws, had been a decent enough fellow for Vax to take a liking to him.

But Percy? Percy he’s a little unsure about.

He doesn’t know exactly what it is, and a part of him is willing to dismiss his doubts as paranoid suspicion since it seems like his friends have taken such a shine to him. His sister, even, for all her distance and preference for privacy, has seemed more open to his presence than she had been to even their closer friends in the beginning. Vax isn’t entirely sure if that detracts or adds to his suspicion, though, because for as much as he loves his sister, he knows what kind of figures she’s drawn to.

He hasn’t forgotten about Saundor.

Vax simply settles for keeping an eye on him. It’s all he can do, and will do, when he still isn’t sure what to make of the situation. He tries to be subtle about it, but sometimes even subtlety goes noticed by someone as perceptive as Vex’ahlia.

“He’s going to notice eventually if you keep glaring at him like that, if he hasn’t already, brother,” she points out about a week into term as they’re leaving the dungeons and depart for Defense Against the Dark Arts on the second floor (Grog, who hadn’t managed to get into the NEWT levels Potions class, would be meeting them there). It’s hard for him to tell if she’s using the ‘tell me what’s wrong’ tone or the ‘knock it off, you idiot’ tone, and something tells him it’s probably a mixture of both.

Vax shrugs. “Good,” he says, not bothering to hide it. Hiding anything from Vex has never exactly worked out well. “Then he’ll know I don’t trust him.”

“Is that meant to be a secret? You’re not doing a very good job of it,” she replies as they begin climbing the stairs in the Grand Staircase. “It’s a wonder the entire school hasn’t been able to feel the suspicion seeping off you in waves.”

“Thanks for that,” Vax says, rolling his eyes. Such a charmer, his sister.

It’s his sister’s turn to shrug. “What I mean to say is, if you’re worried about something, you might as well just come out with it. If not to him, then at least to me, or the others.”

She doesn’t ask in words, but the question is there nonetheless, just as he’d suspected it would be. Vax lets out an impatient sigh. “There’s just something about him,” Vax tells Vex. “He’s hiding something, and he seems like a bit of a prick.”

“We’re  _ all _ hiding something,” Vex supplies, giving him a meaningful look.

He knows exactly what she’s talking about. “I know that, sister. Which, speaking of, we really ought to-”

“No.” Vex’s voice suddenly turns frosty as she fixates a steely gaze on him. “Every time we go to tell them, something happens or it’s in public. I’m not particularly eager to discuss it if we don’t have to, and you already wrote too much to Keyleth about it, Pike and Grog have probably already figured it out, since when-”

Without thinking, Vax gently grabs his sister’s arm and pulls her off to the side into a small alcove. He raises a hand to stop her rising sound of protest, and she falls silent as she glares at him.

“Our mother died, Vex,” he says quietly, voice barely more than a croak. It still hurts to say out loud, like a deep wound that never quite closes… though he doesn’t think it ever will. “Isn’t that something we ought to tell our best friends, if half the professors know it too?”

Vex immediately stiffens, and for a second, Vax thinks that she might hit him for saying such words out loud. She peeks out and around as though any of their friends might have been listening in, which to be fair is entirely possible since Defense Against the Dark Arts is the other class that they have with the Hufflepuffs. But when she looks back to him, there’s a silent pain in her eyes that’s gone in a blink as she straightens up and adjusts the bag over her shoulder.

“I don’t need their pity,” she declares, in that aristocratic voice that he hates. (It also eerily reminds him of Percy’s, and their father’s.) “If you want to tell them, fine, but don’t expect  _ me _ to thank you for it.”

Without another word, she spins away from him and strides back into the throng of students making their ways to all their separate classes. Vax watches her go, and feels a bout of frustration well up in his chest. Sometimes he wishes he could just…  _ smack _ some sense into his twin sister, but he knows it wouldn’t do any good. Vex’ahlia has always been somewhat set in her ways, and he doesn’t foresee any change in her behavior any time soon.

After a brief moment of staring after her, he makes an annoyed noise and follows, heading towards the Defense classroom.

When he enters and sees a seat still open next to Vex, though, he can’t help the small smile that flickers on his face as he approaches and slides into the chair beside her. Even though she doesn’t speak to him as the lesson start time draws close, he’s content to know that this quarrel, at least, hasn’t made her too angry with him.

“Hey, guys!” Keyleth chirps as she takes a seat at the desk next to theirs. Vax glances over his shoulder and smiles as Pike also makes an appearance, sitting down at the desk behind them with a bored-looking Grog in tow. “How was Potions? Were you guys trying the Draught of Living Death too? Because we were doing that the other day, and you wouldn’t  _ believe _ -”

“Pardon me.”

The classroom goes silent as a deep unfamiliar voice rings out from the doorway. Vax turns to see a stranger standing in there, blocking the entrance, and he immediately tenses defensively out of sheer instinct. He’s never particularly liked it when escape routes get closed off. But the man standing there, who’d spoken, seemed to have appeared there with an air of purpose as he shuts the door behind him and begins striding towards the front of the room.

“My apologies for the unexpected entrance,” the man declares. There are curious and excited whispers rising up from some of the surrounding desks; Vax has no idea who this bloke is, but clearly there are some within the class who do. “Your regular Professor, Professor Fince, has had to take an emergency leave for the day. I’ve been assured that he’ll be back tomorrow, but I was called upon to serve as your substitute. Luckily I was able to come on such short notice, but it’s a lovely change of pace from my normal work.”

Vax glances over at his sister, who appears to be watching this apparent substitute with vague interest. He’s fairly sure she doesn’t know who he is, either, and he turns his attention back to the front of the classroom.

“You can refer to me as Auror Krieg, that’s probably the safest bet,” their substitute is saying now, leaning back against Professor Fince’s desk with arms leisurely folded across his chest. “I’m no professor, but I welcome the opportunity to see some fresh young faces and teach you a thing or two. I’m just afraid I don’t have much information on what you’re supposed to be learning. What did your group cover last?”

“We’re covering advanced dark magic this term, sir,” volunteers an eager student in the third row. “Curses, and the like. This week we’re meant to be studying the Unforgiveables.”

Krieg makes a contemplative-sounding noise as he rubs the stubble across his chin. “A surprisingly relevant topic to my area of expertise,” he remarks. “Tell me, how much do you know about the Unforgiveable Curses? How many are there?”

Truth be told, Vax ends up being on edge for the entirety of the lesson. It’s true that this Krieg, whoever he is, knows his shit, but he’d been uncomfortable with the idea of learning advanced dark magic from the first day of term. The rest of their time in the classroom is spent in a subdued, tense atmosphere. Any attempts by Krieg to either lighten the mood or soften the hard information they’re being given are met with half-hearted smiles and laughter from only half the class. By the time everything comes to an end, Vax isn’t entirely sure he should have followed Vex onwards to class in the first place.

“That was  _ awesome _ .” Evidently Grog doesn’t feel the same way as they all head down to grab lunch from the Great Hall. “Man, that bloke really’s been out there n’stuff. That was some heavy shit.”

“I really wish we didn’t have to learn about such awful magic,” Pike supplies, sounding troubled. “You really shouldn’t be so interested, Grog, dark magic shouldn’t be much fun for anybody.”

“Oh.” Grog furrows his brow. “M’sorry, Pike, I just thought-”

“S’alright, big man,” Vax tells him, seeing the conflict on his dark-skinned friend’s face. “I think she just means that you should be taking everything in that class with a grain of salt, is all.”

“A what?” Grog furrows his eyebrows even more, and Vax has to resist the urge to let out an amused sigh.

“Right. Sorry, mate. Just don’t start going all dark wizard on us, yeah?” he corrects himself.

“Oh. Alright, yeah. ‘Course.” Grog still sounds confused, but at least the matter’s settled enough that he doesn’t sound upset anymore.

Content in knowing that, at least, Vax listens in on what Vex and Keyleth seem intrigued by, and instantly regrets his decision.

“I mean he definitely had the looks for it,” he hears his sister drone in that mildly interested tone of hers. “I’ll take his arse over Fince’s any day of the week.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Keyleth replies, and Vax glances over just in time to see the redhead nodding emphatically. “I mean, he totally had that capable vibe going, except I really hope we don’t have to study magic like that for long, that was some really awful material.”

“Best way to get through it is probably to just enjoy the view, I suspect,” Vex says, “That’s what I did to get through today. And a fine view it was.”

Ugh. Vax resists the urge to roll his eyes as the group of them head down to the Great Hall, and after a brief wave to Scanlan (and Percy, to Vax’s slight annoyance), they all snag some food to go before going out onto the grounds to eat their lunches together. As stories of their day wind around their small circle, Scanlan actually perks up at the mention of their day in Defense.

“Auror Krieg? As in Auror Kiernan Krieg?”

Vax sees the knowledge in his friend’s gaze and perks up a little bit himself. “You know him?” he asks.

“Personally? No, no, not at all,” Scanlan answers, which makes Vax wonder if and how their seventeen-year old friend  _ does _ know any Aurors on a personal basis. “But I actually read the newspapers, you know, and Krieg was on the front page just before we got to school. Stopped an attempt on the Minister’s life, if I recall correctly. He’s become a bit of a celebrity.”

Vax has known Scanlan too long to really be insulted by the lofty tone that their friend uses to describe the incident, and it’s clear their friends don’t read much into it either.

“Clearly not that much of one,” Vex scoffs, “I hadn’t heard about it.”

“Yeah, Stubby, ‘cause you’re such a news connoisseur,” Vax tells her, rolling his eyes and not backing down even when she hits his arm in protest.

“I just think it’s weird that Professor Fince just disappeared like that,” Pike points out, tearing a piece of bread in half from her spot against the tree they’re eating under. “He hardly ever misses lessons, and I don’t think I’ve ever heard of or seen him just up and vanish before one like that. Wasn’t he in for breakfast this morning?”

“He was.” This observation comes from Percy, who hasn’t touched any of the food they’ve brought out with them. “And he was in for last night’s dinner, as well. So it does seem rather odd, if what you say is true. I’m afraid I don’t have much experience to contribute.”

Vax thinks of something particularly troublesome he could say, but doesn’t.

“S’not like he just keeled over n’died, though, right?” Grog pipes up in between shoving almost entire chicken sandwiches into his mouth. Vax isn’t entirely sure how his friend can eat and talk like that, but there are some mysteries regarding their friends that are just never meant to be solved. “Somebody would’ve noticed or said something ‘bout it.”

“Believe me,” Percy’s voice is suddenly dark and rushed, as though he’s speaking before he could think better of it, and everyone looks over to see a clouded expression on their companion’s face. “It…” He looks around at the lot of them and clears his throat, the brief flicker of grim solemnity gone. “It can be remarkably easy for someone die without others noticing. All it takes is the right coverup.”

Vax responds before he can stop himself. “Murdered someone, have you Percy?”

He means it as a joke, he truly does, but half of his friends look at him as though he’s just insulted the Headmaster to his face, while the other half just look baffled and confused at the sudden tension. Percy, however, just blinks at him, before raising an eyebrow and replying in that distantly pompous tone of voice of his,

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Vax chuffs. At least the bloke has a sense of humor.

Just like that, the tension seems to ease, as the conversation moves on to lighter, less awkward topics. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the presence of his friends, in Keyleth’s wide smile, Scanlan’s witty remarks, and Vax finds himself relaxing.

Things fall into a pattern after that, a familiar one that he’s had seven years to get used to. Classes, hanging out with friends, homework, trying to stay out of trouble (and failing), and everything almost feels normal. But there’s a few things out of place.

For one, it seems like Auror Krieg might be a slightly more permanent replacement, as Professor Fince never shows up again after his sudden absence. Their new substitute seems a little distant, but he’s getting the job done and his lessons have at least proven to be somewhat interesting.

That, and the weight of his and Vex’s mother’s death continues to weigh on him, especially whenever Keyleth manages to catch him alone and tries to ask him more about what happened. Every time, Vax’s mind flashes to the quick but tense conversation that he and Vex had, and he keeps the tragic news to himself. He’s not sure why she doesn’t want their friends to know, though he has a fairly decent idea, but he’ll abide by her wishes. As far as he’s concerned, he’s nothing if not loyal to Vex’ahlia, his true best friend, his twin sister. She’s just about all he has now in terms of blood family, and he’ll defend that well beyond his grave.

But just as everything in life seems to, keeping that secret ends up biting both of them in the ass.

It happens just before their second weekend at Hogwarts. It’s approaching dinner time on a Friday afternoon, and the lot of them are heading up towards the castle for the dinner feast. Vax can feel the sweat glistening on his brow; it had been abnormally warm out for a September afternoon, and Grog and Pike had challenged him to a race that Vax had sorely lost. Competing physically with either of them had never been a fruitful endeavor, but it makes his friends happy, which is all that matters.

The moment they enter through the massive double doors that lead into the castle, however, Vax feels his sister tense at his side as she freezes. He stops, seeing the expression on her face, and immediately understands what troubles her the second he looks over in the direction her eyes are fixated.

Auror Krieg is standing in the entrance hall, looking troubled, as a slender man with fair skin and long, dark hair with aristocratic features speaks to him in a low voice. He’s immediately recognizable, and Vax instinctively reaches out to put his hand on his sister’s shoulder to give it a gently squeeze. The man speaking to him is Syldor Vassar.

“What’s your father doing here?” Pike chirps, catching on immediately when their group spots him. “Do you think something’s happened?”

Vax wants to answer, but finds his throat dry, and his sister looks equally abhorred to see the presence of their father at school. He’s only been up to the school once since Vax and his sister were enrolled here, and it was during their third year when the pair of them had gotten in  _ massive _ trouble with the headmaster. They likely would have been expelled, had it not been for Syldor, who’d come up to the school to make a case for why they should be allowed to stay. That had been the start of their dismal summers, and being cut off from their mother.

He can’t begin to imagine the reason their father’s here this time, but whatever it is, he figures it can’t be good.

Syldor spots them before they can manage to hide or duck out of the way. Immediately, Vax can see the man’s expression darken, as he excuses himself from Auror Krieg and begins to meander towards them. Vax straightens up, in contrast to Vex, who seems to huddle her shoulders and almost shrink in on herself in their father’s presence.

“Vax’ildan. Vex’ahlia.” The way he says their names makes it sound as though he’s greeting two particularly troublesome dogs, and Vax grits his teeth as he can feel his sister flinch beside him. “I was relieved to hear that you’d made it to school. After the pair of you vanished, I’d begun to worry if you even intended to finish your education.”

Vax is hyperaware of how their friends all seem to gather around them, hyperaware that they’re here and can  _ listen _ , but at the very least, he’s somewhat comforted by their presence.

“It’s not as though you came looking for us,” Vax points out bitterly. “Of course we came back to school. This is where our friends are.”

“I see.” His gaze flickers dismissively over the ragtag group, seemingly ignoring Vax’s first statement. “I’m glad you have your priorities straightened out. Run along, and continue at least  _ trying _ to maintain your average grades.”

Vax can feel himself about to mouth off, and is relieved when Vex suddenly counters,

“What are you even doing here? We haven’t done anything.”

Syldor’s gaze swivels to her and he makes a noise that’s somewhere between a contemplative grunt and a scoff. “As students, it’s not entirely your place to question issues of the school,” he says, “But if you absolutely must know, I was asking if Auror Krieg would be willing to extend his teaching services a while longer. Professor Fince has not been returning correspondence.”

“Really?” This time, it’s Pike that speaks, sounding concerned. “Is he alright?”

As Syldor looks to her now, Vax can see as his eyes seem to flicker down to the Head Girl’s badge that’s situated humbly on her golden scarf. “At least my children at least have  _ some _ distinguishable companions,” he observes, before going on, “We’re not sure. An Auror team has been dispatched to his residence only to find the home completely cleaned out. I was picked my by other fellow governors to tend to the matter personally. It’s been taking up an inconveniently large portion of my time.”

“Scanlan Shorthalt, Slytherin prefect, at your service,” Scanlan suddenly pipes up, taking a quick bow. “If I may, Professor Fince lives in Hogsmeade, isn’t that right? Does he have any other residences you may have yet to check?”

“No.” It’s a fast, stonefaced answer that Scanlan receives, as Syldor glares down at him. “As I mentioned. It’s not something you ought to concern yourselves with, and it’s being investigated by the proper authorities. I’m simply here to make sure that the school doesn’t suffer in the meantime.”

“And just happened to see us and realize that you could barely be bothered to say hello to your two children?” Vex asks pointedly, and Vax quietly puts his hand back on her shoulder.

Syldor quirks a brow at her. “I was here to do business. Not babysit. And after your mother’s funeral, when neither of you returned home, I thought that made your stance on our relationship quite clear.”

“Funeral?” Pike sounds scandalized.

Vax grits his teeth as he feels several pairs of eyes fall on him and his sister. Vex tenses, even more so than she already was, and refuses to meet anyone else’s gaze but Syldor’s. Who, upon realizing everyone’s reactions, raised his eyebrow further until it almost disappeared into his hairline. But he says nothing on it, instead clearing his throat and beginning to turn away from them.

“Well. If that’s all. Good day to you, and stay out of trouble, if you can.”

When he walks off, Vex doesn’t stop him this time, and they’re left in a somewhat shocked silence until,

“What ‘appened to your Mum?” Grog asks, furrowing his brows.

_ Thanks, ‘Dad,’ _ Vax seethes silently, before looking around at their friends. They’re all looking at him and Vex with differing levels of concern and sympathy; even Percy, who doesn’t seem as affected by all this, is looking at them with dark worry. Instead of focusing on them too much, however, Vax instead looks to his sister. He’ll let her take the lead on this one.

Vex clears her throat and manages to choke out the words one by one, “She… she died, this past summer. We…  _ I _ , I suppose, didn’t want to… to say anything, in case-”

“Oh, goodness, you guys, you should have said something!” Pike exclaims in dismay as the small Hufflepuff suddenly launches forward to wrap her arms around Vex. Vex tenses up from the contact, and Vax winces a little when Pike pulls back from his sister just to launch herself at him, too. “Wilhand and I didn’t want to press, we figured you’d just had a falling out with your dad or something, we had no idea!”

“I should have figured it out, I mean, you were writing me and everything, I-” Keyleth’s doleful remark makes something in Vax’s chest twist. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he immediately says, wanting to erase the self-deprecation and sadness from all of their friends’ expressions. Except for perhaps Grog and Percy, both of whom just look confused and mildly concerned. “We didn’t want anyone to know, we didn’t want anyone’s pity. It was just all rather… sudden, and we weren’t sure what to do, or where to go.”

“I’m glad you came to us, really,” Pike assures them. “Grandpa and I were so happy to help you out. Whatever happens, we’ll keep looking out for you, okay?”

“Yeah, we’ve got your back,” Grog booms from beside them in a voice that’s gentler than normal.

“Listen, whatever you need, I’m sure we can pull something together,” Scanlan points out. 

Vex is silent through all of this, looking severely uncomfortable, but all Vax can do is look around and marvel at how lucky they actually are to have friends like these. Pike still has her arms around him, and after a moment, it’s all he can do to wrap his arms around her right back and hold her tight.

With their friends at their side, he knows that there’s absolutely nothing that he nor his sister can’t face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ack. Of course as soon as I said I wanted to aim for two weeks, I falter. Unfortunately, there were a lot of things that came up both online and off for me, which ended up both killing my writing muse and giving me a LOT to deal with. But I hope you guys enjoy! I don't know how I'll live without the constant influx of crack that the campaign gives me, but I can't wait to see what their next campaign will bring! Love you, Vox Machina!
> 
> (Also, thank you thank you to the folks who reviewed and kudo'd! I hope you guys, and everyone else reading, keeps enjoying!)


	4. vex, flying into lightning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously, the twins have some disagreements and feelings about their mother having passed over the summer, and their father makes an unwanted visit to the school. Also, a mysterious substitute named Kiernan Krieg took over their Defense of the Dark Arts class.

The news that Professor Fince is missing spreads like wildfire, not that Vex has expected anything different. The second anyone hears a rumor about anything, they tell it to absolutely everyone they know, and within a few hours it feels as though the entire school knows about it. By lunchtime on Saturday, everyone is talking about their missing Defense professor, and discussing what their year will look like now that Auror Krieg has become  _ Professor _ Krieg.

Vex eyes him as she sips on pumpkin juice at the Gryffindor table, and she’s sure that she isn’t the only one. But the handsome Auror is gracefully sawing through a piece of chicken and chewing on greens, as though unaware of the dozens of pairs of eyes on him as he goes about his business. But Vex catches the way he occasionally glances up and around, and she can tell that while he’s acting ignorant, he’s all too aware of the scrutiny he’s under.

“Daydreaming, are we, Stubby?” Vax teases her, gently nudging an elbow into her side. He knows exactly where she’s looking.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” she fires right back, looking back at her brother levelly as she sets her glass back down. “But, no, I’m not. The professor-student thing, while probably insanely hot, isn’t really my thing.”

“Ugh, forget I asked,” Vax replies, gagging, at the same time a familiar voice echoes up from behind them,

“That’s a damn shame, you know.” Scanlan is grinning at them as he leans over between their shoulders, which isn’t far since he isn’t much taller than either of them sitting down. Vex rolls her eyes. “But come on, you two, we’ve got to get down to the Pitch! Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts are going to be starting soon, and Grog is going to need our support.”

“Grog’s already on the team,” Vax points out, twisting slightly to look at their short-statured Slytherin friend. “And won’t you be crucified by your housemates for showing up to a Gryffindor event?”

“Vax’ildan, I am scandalized that you don’t think I would face the scorn of my housemates in order to support one of my dearest, oldest friends,” Scanlan gasps in his traditional flourish of being overdramatic. “And besides, it’s  _ your _ Quidditch team. Shouldn’t you be showing more interest?”

“It’s Quidditch, Scanlan, we have other things to worry about,” Vex finds herself saying, even though she’s already gathering her things and pushing her plate of half-eaten chicken away. “But I’m guessing the others have already headed down, if you’re here to get us?”

“Keyleth and Pike have already snagged Percy and are on their way,” Scanlan answers, nodding. “I was given the illustrious task of fetching you two. So?”

“Alright, alright, we’re coming.”

The three of them head down to the Pitch together, and Vex is reminded that, despite the confrontation with their father yesterday and the revelation about their mother, their friends haven’t asked them about it or even mentioned it in front of them since. In clear contrast to the way that news about Professor Fince has made its way around the school, she’s beyond relieved to know that the opposite has happened with the news about their mother.

She falls silent upon that realization as they enter the Pitch and make their way up to the spectator boxes.

That silence becomes unadulterated emotion when she sees their friends clustered amongst the benches, and Keyleth waves to them cheerfully as she spots them.

How had they become so lucky? Vex swallows as she looks down, fearful that they might see, or worse, that her brother might sense something is up. But he’s too busy waving back at Keyleth, which she can’t tell if she’s relieved or annoyed by.

“I hope we have our tryouts soon,” Pike is saying as they get closer. “This is making me wanna get on a broom and just whack some things! But I’m sure Grog’ll want to practice with me later, so I guess I can’t complain too much.”

“And I’m absolutely positive you’ll light up the pitch with your brilliance, dearest Pike,” Scanlan remarks, officially announcing their presence. “Have they started yet?”

As they get settled, Vex sees that Percy is seated on the fringe of their friend group. She isn’t entirely sure if he feels uncomfortable in this environment, or if he’s simply seated himself further away because this feels more like a tradition he isn’t a part of. Yet. Whatever the case, Vex gravitates towards him and wordlessly settles herself between him and Vax, who’s sitting down behind Keyleth, as though to link him with the rest of their crew.

For a while, she’s content to bask in the conversation rising and falling around them, and she can see the Gryffindor Quidditch players (Grog is easy to spot even from this distance, with his massive frame towering over most of his team-mates) and all of the hopefuls starting to get organized down on the Pitch. It’s a cloudy Saturday for mid-September, and there’s the smallest of chills in the air. Vex tugs her jumper a little closer around her when there’s a particularly biting breeze that hits her, shivering a little.

“Are you alright?” Percy’s question cuts through the chill, and Vex is surprised to find that his crystalline blue eyes are on her. She’s not sure how long he’s been watching her.

Vex clears her throat. “Just fine, darling, thank you,” she says with her generalized endearment. She hopes he hasn’t seen anything to the contrary, because truth be told, Vex isn’t sure that she’s been alright for the past several weeks. Months, even. “Quidditch has never been one of my favorite things to watch, but Grog and Pike love it. They’re both excellent Beaters.”

“I used to watch it from time to time when I was younger,” Percy replies, still watching her with an expression that suggests that he knows more than he says. It’s an expression that makes her shift uncomfortably under the scrutiny. “So I’m afraid I only have a basic understanding of the rules.”

Vex eyes him up and down. “Did you watch it with family?” she decides to ask, testing the waters, and also out of mild curiosity.

Percy looks back down at the Pitch. “More or less,” he replies, giving her a sidelong glance. Immediately, Vex catches on to his meaning and gives a minute nod. “How long have Grog and Pike been playing for their respective teams?”

“Pike’s been on since second year, Grog since third, once he realized what it was and trained with Pike a bit. They’re terrors on the Pitch when they play each other.”

Vex continues to watch Percy curiously as they continue their exchange; ever since he’s become a staple within their friend group, it’s been getting easier to see it when he slips up slightly and reverts to the mysterious, melancholy boy that they’d met on the train. He has a snarky, uppity sense of humor that she can’t help but enjoy, and a practical way of seeing things that she can somewhat understand. But there’s something underneath all of it, and she’s sure she’s not the only one that can sense it. And right then, as he’d brushed off her inquiry, she catches a glimpse of it… but what  _ it _ is, she can’t quite discern.

She doesn’t press, though. She knows that she’s the very last person who has the right to.

“Are there any other extracurricular activities you’re all involved in?” Percy asks next.

Vex shrugs. “There’s a Dueling Club that starts later in October and goes through the winter, some of us participate,” she says. “Vax and I have been in it since fourth year, and Keyleth comes along to some of the meetings, but I think she’s mostly done it to keep us company.”

“ _ That _ sounds a little more up my alley. Physical sports are most definitely not my forte.”

“They’re not, are they?” Vex feels a grin pique at the corners of her mouth as she eyes his somewhat scrawny frame. “While I’m sure you’ll hear about the sign-ups when the time rolls around, I’ll be sure to remind you.”

“I’d appreciate that, thank you. And what made the pair of you join?”

Vex’s expression twists in annoyance, as a twinge of dark despair rolls in her belly. “Er, our father, mostly,” she replies, not finding any reason to hold back such information. “It was to make him happy, I suppose, show we were involved at school. We’ve just… taken to it, since then, that’s all.”

“I see.” They fall silent for a while, after that, until,

“Your father seemed quite the character.”

She swallows, and glances over towards him. While he isn’t looking directly at her, somehow she can tell he’s paying very close attention.

“He doesn’t come to the school very often,” Vex finds herself saying, partially to reassure herself as much as she’s trying to assure him. “None of the governors do, really, so I doubt anyone will have to see him again for the rest of this year.”

“Don’t you and your brother have to go home for Christmas?”

“We haven’t gone to his home for Christmas in years. We stay at the castle for the holidays.” Vex says this more vehemently than she’d meant to, and blanches. Blissfully, she recalls the two holidays they got to spend at home with their mother, but she realizes that’s a mistake when her throat closes a little. Any hope her and her brother might have had for getting to see her this year, since both of them would be legal wizarding adults by the time, are gone.

“I see,” Percy says again. “So they allow students to stay for the holidays here, then?”

“Of course,” Vex tells him, raising her eyebrows. “I’d assumed most schools would, did yours not?”

The corner of Percy’s lips twitch upward for the briefest of moments in a smug smile that disappears as quickly as it had arisen, as though he’s amused by something he knows that she doesn’t. “I wouldn’t know,” he finally remarks, “I was homeschooled.”

This small hint of his origins takes her by surprise, and Vex swiftly decides to attempt and seize upon the opportunity. “Was it here, that you were homeschooled? Within the United Kingdom, I mean.”

When Percy hesitates to answer, she fears for a moment that her instinctive push had been too much, but finally, he replies, “It wasn’t. By all accounts, I suppose it would have been more proper if I had been made to attend Durmstrang… but it isn’t what my parents wanted. They went here.”

Vex racks her brains for the briefest of moments to try and recall where, exactly, Durmstrang is and what countries it normally takes under its employ. “So… Norway, then?” she pokes.

“Sweden, actually. Our estate is rather secluded.” He only sounds barely surprised that she’d figured it out so quickly, that she’d known.

“Is that where you’ll go for the holidays when the break comes?” Vex asks.

Percy swallows, and his gaze becomes fixated on something far away. “I’m afraid it wouldn’t be possible for me to return home,” he murmurs, voice thick with an emotion that Vex comes to identify as grief, and she immediately realizes that she shouldn’t push any further. So she doesn’t.

Instead, she presses her lips together and hesitantly reaches out to ever so gently lay her hand over his, if only to remind him of her presence. Her heart skips a beat at the fear that the touch might be unwarranted, too much and too bold. But at the contact, he whips his head around to stare at her as though he’s never seen her before, and Vex feels the briefest of shocks stir in her veins. She keeps her composure, however, and offers him a small but genuine smile.

“Then we’ll spend our Christmas this year together,” she tells him, before retracting her hand and focusing back on the Pitch, where their Quidditch team has taken to their brooms and are rising up to begin tryouts in earnest.

Percy doesn’t respond, but she gets the distinct impression that something in what she’d said had made him smile for the briefest of seconds, and she’s glad that she could provide even one moment of joy for him. He seems like he needs it.

Which is also why, when the first Hogsmeade weekend rolls around two weeks later, she’s excited for him to see the wizarding village for the first time.

The school is abuzz as it always is for the first trip of the year, and as always, their small party of friends is no exception.

Keyleth is absolutely beside herself that Saturday morning after breakfast, bouncing and clapping her hands together when the twins approach her with Grog and Scanlan in tow.

“Oh, gosh, this is going to be so much fun, you guys! I just can’t wait to get my butterbeer from the Three Broomsticks, and then maybe we can stop by the menagerie too, oh, and Honeyduke’s!” she’s squealing as they walk up, green eyes alight with joy and cheeriness. Vex only wishes that she had the same disposition; after another restless night, she can feel the circles under her eyes and the endless need to yawn.

“How ‘bout Zonko’s?” Grog asks, actually sounding hopeful. “I want Dungbombs.”

“You armed with Dungbombs sounds like a disaster for the whole school, big man,” Vax points out. “Sure you’ll be able to handle that much power?”

“‘Course I can,” Grog scoffs. “And I’ll be comin’ for you first.”

“Nonsense, Grog, we have to widen our ambitions!” Scanlan remarks grandly. “Just think of all the hallways we can trap, the professors we can prank! This being our final year, I’d have to say we need to step up our game.”

“As Head Girl,” Pike says as she strolls up to their group, with a befuddled-looking Percy behind her, “I officially have to discourage you from doing that… sort of thing. But…” Her eyes twinkle with a familiar mischief. “Maybe one corridor or two might be fun.”

“Ooh, are we all ready to go? Come on! Let’s get there before the whole castle fills the village up!” Keyleth chirps before bounding off towards the doors that small groups of students are already beginning to filter out of.

Vex walks with her brother as they all venture out into the brisk October air; the coming of a new month has seemed to bring with it a sudden change in the atmosphere, and on this particular morning, it feels as though winter’s already arrived. Vax appears unbothered by the cold, but then, he’s never seemed to notice the physical or material side of things.

Hogsmeade is one of those charming places that Vex has always had an appreciation for. Seeing the familiar smokestacks that seem to lean every which way, eternally coated in what’s surely magical ice and snow, and the tall narrow buildings of brick and cobblestone, she feels at ease. The humble homes and shops here unwittingly remind her of their mother’s townhome. Briefly, she wonders what’s become of it now that their mother is gone. Had her landlord already found new tenants?

She doesn’t get far on that train of thought, though, when Vax suddenly says from her side,

“Hey, you coming?”

Vex blinks and realizes that as soon as they’ve hit the village, Keyleth, who’d been at the front, has suddenly picked up her pace tenfold and is making a beeline for the familiar path to Honeydukes. Everyone, including Percy, is right on her tail. Vax is looking at her with a touch of concern, as if he knows without having to ask where her mind had been about to go.

“Yes, of course, sorry,” she replies, shrugging off his silent question as they hurry to follow after their friends.

Honeydukes is, as predicted, already rather busy despite the relatively early time in the day. Students and denizens of the village alike are already perusing and raiding the shelves for all the sweets they could ever desire.

Vex hangs back from the rest of them. There’d once been a time when she’d eagerly trounced right through the crowd to get to the shelves full of chocolate frogs and sweet salted caramel pixies. But today, she’s painfully aware of how light her pockets are in terms of Galleons; refusing to speak to their father had obviously reduced her and Vax’s so-called allowance funds to next to nothing. If she’s going to buy anything today, it’ll be something far more useful than candy, or perhaps a treat for Trinket. Even if she eyes the chocolates and pumpkin pasties with some wistful desire.

Plus, half the reason she’d ever buy anything here anyway would be to send some sweets to her mother.

So instead, she watches.

Vax is hovering near Keyleth’s shoulder, and the pair of them are talking animatedly about something. Whatever it is, Vex doesn’t care to listen. Scanlan is, unsurprisingly, ghosting behind Pike as she and Grog peruse nearby shelves, and Percy is lost from her vision somewhere within the store.

After a moment, beginning to feel stifled from the amount of students that have shoved themselves into the sweets shop, Vex hunches her shoulders and ducks outside to get a breath of fresh air.

It’s not yet cold enough for snow, even though it feels like it should be, and her gaze flickers up towards the thick, gray swirling masses of clouds that promise potential rain. Maybe snow, since the air feels brisk enough. She hadn’t been aware how acutely uncomfortable the prospect of spending money would make her, not that she hadn’t always been a stickler for the little coin she carried.

Perhaps Vex simply didn’t understand the reasoning for it when she had no reason to buy something for solely herself.

She isn’t entirely sure how long she stands out there alone. It could have been minutes, or maybe even the better part of an hour as her friends peruse the candy shelves within. But eventually, after one of the several times she hears the telltale bell of the door opening and closing behind her, she’s joined by a presence that she recognizes without having to look.

“You alright, Stubby? Lost track of you inside.”

Vex wrinkles her nose at her brother’s nickname and shrugs. “I just needed some room to breathe, it got rather stuffy in there. You can go back to Keyleth if you want.” She isn’t sure whether or not she feels bitter. Keyleth’s been their friend for almost seven years now, she should be used to the idea of Vax paying attention to someone else. But she isn’t.

“Keyleth’s waiting with Pike and Percy and the rest in line. I wanted to come and check up on you.”

“I don’t need to be babysat, brother.”

She can practically feel Vax’s eyebrow go up in annoyance, but she isn’t looking at him to see the expression on his face. “However you want to take it, dear sister,” he replies, mirroring her endearment in a tone that’s probably meant to be mocking to some degree. “Just came out to check. Glad to see you’re as cuddly as ever.”

But despite that, he stays at her side and doesn’t go back in, and Vex hunches her shoulders. It’s impossible to stayed annoyed with him, honestly, and so as the moments pass, she can feel her shoulders relax. Numerous students and even some of the faculty pass by them, either heading down the way or going right past them into Honeyduke’s or coming back out. It’s when she sees Auror, or well, Professor Krieg walk by, that Vex is reminded of something Scanlan had said while their father had been at school.

“Didn’t Professor Fince live in Hogsmeade?” she asks suddenly.

The question evidently catches her brother by surprise. “I think so, yeah, why-”

Right at that moment, the door to the sweets shop opens to reveal their friends, laughing at something that had transpired behind them, most of them bearing bags of sweets. Vex glances over her shoulder at them to see most of them handing their bags over to Grog, who slips everyone’s candies into the bag he almost always has slung over his back.

“What’s up?” Pike chirps when she spots them, a bright smile across her face. “You guys okay?”

“Just fine,” Vex says, still thinking. To be quite frank, she’s desperate to do anything but shop for things she can’t afford, or be left to her own thoughts and devices, and perhaps the mystery surrounding what happened to their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and the man who’s taken his place, could provide the perfect distraction. Her eyes trail after the direction Professor Krieg had gone. “Scanlan, didn’t you say a while back that Professor Fince had a residence here? In Hogsmeade?”

“Hm? Well, yes, of course,” Scanlan offers, sounding as confused as her brother had just a moment before. “If I’m not mistaken he lived towards the outskirts, or at least I think he did. I didn’t know him well enough to actually-”

“What if we go check it out?” Vex says.

“You mean, like, just go look at it?” Keyleth asks, shifting about nervously. “Or, like, break in, kind of look at it?”

“Your words, Keyleth, not mine,” Vex retorts. She probably shouldn’t be so rough with the innocent redhead, but her borderline agitation has evidently selected a target. “But either could work, I’m sure, it depends on if they have any security watching the place-”

“I imagine if they found something, there would be. If they didn’t, it’ll be empty. Law enforcement won’t bother with something that didn’t produce any contributions to the investigation,” Percy supplies with a small shrug. “If we have all day, I suppose it might be something interesting to do.”

“What ‘bout Zonko’s?” Grog then asks with a disappointed frown.

“Not to worry, big man. If we’re only going to take a look, we can go to Zonko’s and then get something to eat, maybe,” Vax supplies, before looking around at the rest of the group. “Are we seriously going to do this? Is it actually any of our business?”

“I mean, it couldn’t hurt,” Pike says. “If there’s Ministry guards there, it isn’t though like we’re going to break in under their noses. It wouldn’t technically be breaking any laws, right?”

Even though Vex is fairly certain that any kind of breaking and entering would be breaking a law of some kind, she doesn’t say anything. Instead, she simply looks around at the rest of their friends as though silently seeking confirmation.

“I guess… I guess we might as well,” Keyleth remarks, looking slightly uncomfortable as she does so. “Sure. Why not?”

“Then come on, everyone, let’s go!” Scanlan waves for them all to follow him, even though Vex is pretty sure he doesn’t have any exact clue of where they’re going. But content with someone else taking the lead, she easily settles back with the others as they begin heading down the way towards the outskirts of the quaint wizarding village.

They had absolutely no idea about what they were getting into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, it's hard to believe it's been two months! Forget the whole "two weeks" thing, I suppose; NaNoWriMo took over my life, and lately, a hardcore job search has been at the forefront of my attention. But I've been clearly working on this whenever I had a museful moment. I plan on keeping up work with this, though I can't promise when updates will come! Happy holidays! I also just really wanted to get this up for Christmas as a gift for everyone enjoying the work. Thank you so much to people who've commented and kudo'd the work! I hope you guys keep liking it.~


	5. vax, darkness brings evil things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously, Vex and Percy briefly bonded whilst watching Grog's Quidditch tryouts, and the group got to go on their last-first Hogsmeade trip of the year. While the rest of the group happily shopped for candies, Vex came to the conclusion that they should investigate missing Professor Fince's townhouse.

The townhouse doesn’t look like much, as far as Vax is concerned. It’s a quaint thing, with a small iron-wrought fence surrounding the property, which isn’t all that big. There’s maybe twenty-five feet from the front door to the street, and barely ten feet on either side of the house before other neighboring buildings press in and rise up. A small, cobblestone pathway that matches the street winds out to the small, quaint gate at which the group of Hogwarts students stands, and goes all the way to the front door.

“There’s nothin’ here,” Grog chuffs eventually, looking up at the townhouse, unimpressed. “It’s all dark inside and nobody’s ‘round to guard it.”

To be fair, he isn’t wrong. There’s no light from within the townhouse, no signs of life. And there’s no signs around that are forbidding entry, or anything of the sort that would otherwise warn away other curious souls. There’s nobody outside, nobody inside, and for all intents and purposes, it just looks like an abandoned townhouse.

Still. The longer he looks at it, the more he can’t help but feel like there’s something… off.

“Maybe we should just… you know, go,” Keyleth suggests, and Vax glances over just in time to see her shift uncomfortably. Her eyes are on one of the upper story windows, and he follows her gaze. There’s nothing there, but it-

That’s when he sees a shadow shift in the other upper story window.

“Shit, did anyone see that?” he breathes, instinctively taking a step back.

“See what? Is everything okay?” Pike asks at his side, with a concerned look on her face.

“I saw it,” Vex murmurs from his other side. She has slightly sharper eyes than he does, and it truthfully doesn’t surprise him that she had. “There’s someone up there.”

That’s when Vax notices that there isn’t anyone else out on the street. No students ambling around, no denizens of the village walking down the way on their daily routes. There aren’t even any alley cats prowling about, or any actual signs of life. It’s quiet, eerily so, and it makes the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

“Then we should go in. Right?” Scanlan says, sounding unsure as he turns around and looks amongst their faces for some kind of confirmation. “I mean, if there’s someone inside.”

“It might be an Auror,” Pike remarks, sounding equally unsure. “What if it’s an Auror and we’re breaking laws? I’d rather us not… not get in trouble with the Ministry, that’s way bigger than the kind of trouble we normally get into.”

Vax is about to voice his agreement, really not looking forward to the concept of their father getting contacted for him and Vex going to  _ Azkaban _ on top of everything else, when suddenly Percy voices from behind him,

“That’s not an Auror. That’s something else.”

There’s a conviction in his voice, something that makes goosebumps flare up and down Vax’s skin, and he looks to Percy to find that the white-haired Ravenclaw is staring at that window with a pointedly dark expression.

“How can you tell?” Grog asks, still looking unconvinced. “I didn’t see nothin’.”

“Just a hunch,” Percy murmurs, still staring up at the window. “But I hope I’m wrong.”

Everyone shuffles about for a moment, unsure of how to proceed or even if they  _ should _ . Vax is vaguely aware that they should probably just tell someone who’s more suited for this kind of thing, that this is something far beyond what a bunch of seventh year Hogwarts students should be sticking their noses into. But since when has that ever stopped them? He stands there for only a moment more, and when nobody else pipes up or indicates that they really  _ should _ leave, he huffs and loses his patience.

“Fuck it, if we’re doing something, let’s not stand around,” Vax says, rolling his eyes. “I’ll go in if nobody else will.”

With that, he goes to open the gate, despite the sounds of protest that suddenly arise from several of his friends and sister.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” he tells them; they’re acting as if they’re not all standing around, all a little bit morbidly curious about the whole situation. “Am I catching fire? No. Come on, if you want to take a look around. There’s nobody outside, and,” He sticks his hand over the gate and meets no resistance, “no wards. Can’t be that dangerous, if Aurors left it just sitting here.”

That last part he isn’t so sure about, but he says it more for his friends’ benefit than anything else. It seems to work on most of them, when he sees some shoulders relax, and relieved looks flash across several faces. But not Percy’s. He still looks mildly perturbed, and quite frankly, Vax can’t find it in himself to blame him. There’s something definitely off about this place.

The gate isn’t really locked, so Vax swings it open without issue. He glances around, and the noticeable lack of people still makes him shiver, but at least that also means that there’s nobody nearby to notice a herd of young, unqualified witches and wizards sneaking onto a property that definitely isn’t theirs.

If they’re doing this, though, they shouldn’t dawdle. Everyone else seems to come to that same realization when he does, and they huddle in behind him as if to try and gently nudge him forward; nobody else tries to take the lead.

Vax sighs as he crosses over the gate’s threshold. Definitely no wards. But as he steps onto the premises, Vax is immediately drawn to look up and around. There’s a magical energy around this place, something about it that just feels… alive, almost, and it makes him frown. Something’s here, he surmises, but what, he isn’t entirely sure. When everyone continues to crowd behind him, he rolls his eyes and holds a hand up.

“Hold on,” he murmurs to them. There isn’t really a reason for him saying it so quietly, but he does so anyway. “Just let me check to see if there’s any traps or alarms or something. Just in case.”

They all hang back at that.

With another quiet sigh, Vax reaches within his worn pockets to pull out the familiar handle of his wand. There’s something about this that thrills him, something about just how many rules that they’re probably breaking right now that brings a smirk to his face. This probably isn’t a healthy urge, he knows, but if his friends are all behind him, and if they’re trying to solve a mystery for the sake of their missing professor, how bad can it all be, really?

He isn’t the most adept spellcaster, but over the years, he’s learned a few tricks, mostly out of the need to adapt to keep he and his sister out of trouble. Rather, keep them from getting caught.

Regardless, Vax murmurs a few charms to himself as he makes the appropriate movements, and it confirms what he’s fairly sure he already knew. Whatever magic this townhouse has, it’s inside the building itself, and the front door is sealed shut with a complicated locking charm. He’d wager the Aurors had put it there, which gives him relative unease. Would the Ministry know if its Aurors charms were undone on a townhouse in Hogsmeade?

“And?”

The impatient hiss of his sister recalls Vax from his brief but troublesome train of thought.

“It’s clear,” he tells them over his shoulder, before hustling forward with his friends on his heels. “There’s locking wards on the door, but I think I can crack them. Give me a second.” As they ascend onto the front stoop, Vax grits his teeth as he flourishes his wand twice and mutters three different unlocking charms he’s studied in the past couple of years. One would be amazed at the number of different magical locks in use in Hogwarts castle.

The doorknob twists after the final flourish, and with a click, the door swings open with a gentle creaking sound.

“Damn. Nice job, Vax,” Scanlan whistles, though his voice is hardly above a whisper.

All of them wait for a solid moment, as though the door opening might bring a wave of Aurors down upon them, or worse, something from  _ inside _ might come surging out, but nothing happens. Not even a sound comes from within, which seems to make them all relax.

“What’re you just blocking the doorway for? Go, before someone walks by and sees us!”

_ Little too late for worrying about that, isn’t it, sister?  _ Vax is tempted to shoot back over his shoulder, but he doesn’t, simply sliding over the threshold. Except, as soon as he steps foot in the house, he has to resist the urge to gag, and stumble back out.

It smells like  _ death _ inside.

At least, what he’s fairly sure would smell like death. The smell is that of multiple things rotting, like several people got sick and couldn’t clean up after themselves, or like garbage had been left to sit in the hot sun for days on end. Vax instinctively brings his hand up to his mouth, choking on the bile that rises up in his throat, and he might have stumbled backwards if his friends hadn’t been crowded right behind him.

“Oh, God, I’m going to throw up,” he hears Vex choke beside him.

“Didn’t your father say that authorities were investigating this place?” Keyleth asks, sounding doubtful and also rightfully disgusted. “Shouldn’t we just… leave this to them? Or report this to someone, or-”

“They definitely missed something,” Pike says, voice muffled by the hand trying to cover the bottom half of her face. “We might as well just look around, make sure that nothing’s been… you know. It’s an adventure, anyway.”

“Yeah, s’not so bad,” Grog supplies as he ducks inside and takes a big sniff. Vax has no clue how the large dark-skinned boy is unaffected by the smell, but then again, there’s probably a lot of things about Grog that don’t make a lot of sense. “Might as well take a look around.” With this, he shuts the door behind him, and the [i]clack[/i] with which the door closes feels more final than it should. The hair on the back of Vax’s neck goes up again.

Other than the reek of rotting death and the sense of impending doom, Vax supposes the place looks nice. Lived in. It looks like it’d be a professor’s home, with the tall stack of bookshelves to one wall, and something that looks like a glass case with something expensive or old inside it housed across the room. Then again, he’s never been inside a professor’s private quarters, not even for a prank, so this is a first. Whether it’s a good or bad one, though, he can’t tell yet.

“It doesn’t even look like it’s been cleared out,” Keyleth notes. She’s moved forward, seemingly trying to stay quiet, and she’s inspecting a side table with a mug atop it and an open book. “It’s like someone was just here. It’s all cold and dusty, though.” As she says it, she gently wipes a finger across the surface and wrinkles her nose when she looks at it, likely because it’s gray with dust.

“Law enforcement wouldn’t have touched anything that they didn’t have to,” Percy explains to counter, as he too peers around. “They’d have taken any evidence and left the rest just in case they’d have to investigate again.”

“And how do you know this, exactly?” Vax finds himself asking, unsure if it annoys or unnerves him that the white-haired Ravenclaw is listing off this information with such certainty.

Percy looks at him, and Vax is caught off guard by the solemnity in the other boy’s eyes. “I just do. Think of it what you will.”

Yeah. Definitely unnerving. Prat.

“Oi. Grog, Pike,” Scanlan murmurs from nearby. He’s standing at the foot of the stairs, looking up them. “You two are pretty strong and brave, let’s check upstairs to see if our friend’s still up there, or if we’re just crazy.”

“Maybe splitting up isn’t-”

“Alright.” Grog's overly cheerful affirmation completely bulldozes Vex's murmured attempt at cautioning them, as the big fellow follows after Scanlan. With a rogueish grin, Scanlan gestures for the pair of them to go up, and they start ascending without delay.

“Grog, wait! Scanlan-” Pike makes a frustrated huff before scurrying after them, and all three of them disappear up the stairs.

Which leaves Vex, Vax, Percy, and Keyleth staring after them with varying levels of anxiety and discomfort.

“We’re not going up there, right?” Keyleth finally asks, her voice hardly above a mousy whisper.

“Absolutely not,” Percy replies at the same time that Vax says, “No, no, we’re not.”

The pair of them look at each other for a brief moment before looking away again, which seems to draw an annoyed huff from Vex as she goes back to looking around.

Honestly, now that they’re inside, Vax isn’t even entirely sure that he knows where to look, or  _ what _ they’re even looking for in the first place. What was their reasoning for doing this again? He wishes he knew what had been going through his sister’s head when she’d suggested it, but it isn’t as though this is the worst way they’ve spent a Saturday afternoon. He can think of countless others holed up in their father’s cold mansion that would rank worse than this one. With a quiet sigh, he ambles around a bit, looking at the knick-knacks and whatnot clustered around the room.

“He’s been-” Vex is standing by the bookshelf, and Vax glances over to see she’s looking somewhat perturbed as she’s poking through the books there. He can't help but feel a small spark of annoyance as Percy immediately gravitates towards her. “I never knew that Professor Fince’d had an interest in all of this. I’m no expert, obviously, but this looks-”

“These are books about dark magic, and there’s a few here about historical conspiracies and coups.” He says it with a level of conviction that Vax is starting to feel as though is in his every statement. Still, the look on his face suggests that he knows exactly what he’s talking about. “And, if I’m not mistaken…”

When Percy reaches up to push some of the books aside, Vax very nearly opens his mouth to say that it likely isn’t a good idea to be actually  _ touching  _ or disturbing anything here, given how illegal this probably is. But then he sees what the white-haired Ravenclaw is pulling from the back of the shelf, and frowns slightly when he feels reluctant curiosity bubble up in his chest.

“Is that a journal or something? It looks leatherbound, custom-made, maybe,” Keyleth says as she joins the pair by the bookshelf, peering over Percy’s shoulder.

Vax sighs and decides to join them, and might have even gotten a good look at it himself if the sounds of their friends clomping down the stairs hadn’t served as a proper distraction.

“Totally empty up there, not a single ghost, spirit, or otherwise!” Scanlan appears at the head of their small scouting party, and it’s hard to tell if he’s genuinely disappointed or relieved as he hops down the final step. He turns around and offers a hand to Pike to help her down the last few, as she’s right behind him.

As Pike ignores the offered hand (though she shoots a small amused smile at the Slytherin who’d offered it), she most definitely looks flat out relieved. “Either way, let’s just stick together from now on, okay? I don’t like the thought of us splitting off from each other. Especially in this place. It just… there’s something not right.”

Grog, on the other hand, looks positively disappointed as he plops down the final steps to join them. Clearly, he’d been expecting some kind of excitement.

“What’cha got there?”

Scanlan’s spotted them standing in a cluster, eyes alight with curiosity as he saunters over. As Percy, Vex, and Keyleth share their find, Vax takes a step back and takes another look around. Honestly, if there isn’t anything here, then he’s fairly sure that they should probably be heading out. Some old diary of their professor’s isn’t going to offer much insight, he’s sure, and-

“Oh, hey, Vax, lift your foot for a second. There’s something under this rug.”

Vax instinctively does as he’s told, as Pike suddenly appears at his side and crouches down to peer at the edge of the rug. That’s when he sees it too.

“What the-”

Pike pulls back the thick floor rug to reveal a previously hidden trap door of rough oaken wood, significantly different from the rest of the hardwood floor.

“Whoa. S’that a trapdoor?” Grog is looming over their shoulders, peering down at it with renewed interest. “What’s down there, y’think? Does it open?”

“Grog, don’t. Hang on.” Pike’s scolding is gentle, but it’s enough to make the large boy freeze in his tracks.

Immediately, they attract the attention of the rest of the group, though not everyone comes to hover over the newfound discovery. Despite this, though, Vax can see the unease on Pike’s face. They share a brief look; she might have been the one to find the trap door, but both of them have a dark feeling in the pit of their stomachs about what’s beneath it. Vax finds it hard to explain, yet… the instinct is undeniable.

“I mean, it might just be a basement,” Keyleth says, as she’s one of the few who ventured over from the journal-reading posse. “Does anyone, like, does anybody know the layout of these houses? Do they all have basements? It’s probably… I mean, it’s normal, right? A hidden cellar door thing?”

“I really don’t know. I’ve never been in one of these houses before,” Vax remarks. The uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach grows. “But I think we should leave it alone.”

“I thought we was s’posed to be doing excitin’ stuff,” Grog huffs, scowling as he folds his beefy arms across his chest. “This is just lookin’ around and findin’ books. What if there’s something cool down there?”

“We might as well pick the place from top to bottom,” Scanlan offers from nearby. “It’s what we came here to do, isn’t it? We could even find something the Aurors didn’t.”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” Vax mumbles, though he isn’t sure anyone hears him.

“I’m interested.” It’s Vex’s comment that catches Vax off guard, and he looks over at his twin in disbelief. She’s still standing by Percy at the bookcase, seemingly still gleaning over whatever’s in that journal. It doesn’t escape Vax’s notice that Percy himself appears riveted by whatever’s inside. “There’s  _ far _ more to Professor Fince than I thought, honestly, and I’m sure that the Aurors combed any secret crevices in the house. Including whatever’s underneath that door.”

“They missed that journal. If it’s so interesting, why didn’t they admit it to evidence?” Vax fires back.

His sister shrugs. “As if I’d know,” she replies nonchalantly. “My point is, there’s likely nothing dangerous down there. This house has been sitting here for over two weeks. And who knows? Maybe there’s something valuable we could grab.”

“So now we’re talking about stealing from our professor,” Vax says.

Vex gives him a pointed glare. “And that’s not something we’ve done before?”

Point to Vex’ahlia. With an aggravated sigh, Vax looks at Pike; seemingly, of their crew, they’re the only pair particularly worried. Pike gives him a helpless shrug in response, though there’s no erasing the worry off her face.

“Just give me a second, I’ll go down first,” Vax finally grumbles. At the very least, if there  _ is _ something to worry about down there, nobody else will have to deal with the consequences.

Two quick waves of his wand and a muttered charm reveal that no lock spells are on the trapdoor, at least. It’s hard to tell if he finds that a relief or not. On one hand, it’s probable that either Aurors have already despelled it, or there really isn’t anything to worry about down there after all. On the other hand… the uneasy pit in his stomach doesn’t go away.

There’s a heavy ring attached to the wooden slab, the handhold that Vax grabs onto as he gives a tug to try and pop the door open. It doesn’t budge.

“Big man, actually, could you-”

Grog needs no other prompting as a meaty dark-skinned hand flies into Vax’s vision, as the Gryffindor yanks back on the slab and sends it flying open.

There’s a burst of air from down below, and everyone immediately surrounding the cellar door rears back, gagging, as the rotting smell of death in the air amplifies tenfold. Whatever terrible smell had been haunting this house has evidently been radiating from this spot, and Vax coughs, his eyes watering from the scent.

And from below, there’s an unearthly breathy wail, and several things happen in quick succession.

A pair of gray, clawed hands launch up from the darkness below; Vax attempts to duck out of the way, only to feel them latch onto the back of his sweatshirt. He can hear the twin screams of Keyleth and his sister as he feels the grip on him yank backwards, pulling him towards the opening in the floor. In his attempt to scramble away, his wand goes clattering to the floor and out of his grasp.

“ _ Everte Statum! _ ” It’s Percy’s shout that echoes through the greater room, as a jet of light shoots from the wand he’s pulled out from his pocket.

The beam doesn’t hit the hands, instead blasting into the other side of the opening, scraping against the wood harmlessly. Vax feels one last tug, and hears a horrible screech, before the ground beneath him vanishes, and he goes tumbling into the darkness.

The fall is brief, but Vax feels the breath leave his lungs and a flash of pain as his head snaps back upon impact and smashes against a hard floor. Stars flash behind his eyes, and he flounders for a wand that’s no longer in his pocket as he can just barely hear the panicked cries of his friends above him.

There’s hardly any time to react before a ghastly face suddenly fills his vision. The only light streaming into this cellar room is what’s coming in from above, and it barely outlines a sunken, almost skeletal head with patchy hair. It’s like something from a nightmare, its pearly white eyes bulging from its head as it lets out a triumphant screech. It looks like a person, and perhaps it might be, if it didn’t smell or look like someone that had died months ago just to crawl out of their gave and into this townhouse.

It descends on him like a demon, claw-like nails digging into his arms and torso, scrabbling at him, but not finding a purchase on his skin through the clothes. Vax kicks out on instinct, letting out a terrified cry, and he hears his sister scream his name up top.

“Shit, shit, shit, shit,” Vax is cursing as he manages to catch the… thing, whatever it is, with his foot, kicking it off him as he rapidly rolls away from it and into the dark. 

From the faint light filtering in from the cellar door opening, it almost looks like a workshop down here. There’s a desk in the corner, papers and trash littering the floor everywhere, though Vax doesn’t pay much attention to it as he shoves himself to his feet, his head pounding. The person, thing, creature, whatever it is, is skittering back towards him, crawling on all fours.

“Vax, watch out!”

As he hears one of his friends shout this, he also hears a, “ _ Stupefy! _ ” from above. The jet of red light streaks into the space, and blasts across the creature’s back.

The thing is shoved into the stone of the cellar floor upon impact, and Vax watches as it slows for just a second, as though the Stun had worked, before it shakes off the intended spell effect and continued on its rapid path towards him.

“Vax, come on, get out of there!”

_ You don’t have to tell me twice, _ he wants to shout back at his sister, but doesn’t, focusing instead on just getting free of this literal hellhole.. The thing swipes out at his legs, and Vax just barely manages to jump out of its way, before he runs for what looks like a ladder that just leads up to where he can see his sister half-over the hole, as if she’s about to come down after him.

He jumps up as far as he can, and almost as soon as he does, he can feel his sister grabbing onto his clothing and trying to haul him upwards.

“I’ve got you, hold on,” she says, voice breathy with panic, and he almost tells her that he’s fine when he feels the creature grab onto his leg.

Vax yelps in terror (and a little bit of pain, because where its clawed hands hadn’t managed to dig through his sweatshirt, he can feel the pinpricks through his pants), as suddenly his climb becomes that much harder, and he almost gets pulled back down into the hole again.

That’s before Grog and Pike get a hold of him, though, helping his sister pull Vax out with their hands under his armpits.

“ _ Flipendo! _ ”

Vax watches as Scanlan releases the spell with a flourish, and a wave of energy surges past him and strikes the thing beneath him. The horrible-smelling creature croaks as it gets shoved downwards by it, and Vax cries out as its claws rake through his pantleg at the impact and leave angry, red, bleeding clawmarks when it tumbles down.

Vex pulls him backwards, and he goes willingly, wincing at the pain in his leg and the back of his head.

“Get the bloody door closed before it crawls up here!”

Vax hardly pays attention, breathless and unable to focus on much other than he’s out of harm’s immediate way and that his sister’s arms are tightly around him, as his friends hurriedly shove the cellar door shut once more with a massive  _ thud _ . Grog and some of the others stand over it, and let out noises of surprise when something bumps against their feet, seemingly, and the muffled sounds of something scratching at the wood fill the room.

“What the fuck was that?” Vex demands of everyone, as they all jump from another bump against the heavy trapdoor.

“I genuinely hope it wasn’t what I think it was,” Percy remarks, stepping onto the trapdoor to stand with the rest of their companions. “For now, I think- hold on-” He flicks his wand down at the heavy wooden slab, and mutters a spell that none of them recognize. As he does so, there’s a sizzle and popping sound as the metal of the ring they’d used to open the door melts and seeps over some of the crack to seal the door shut.

“There,” the white-haired Ravenclaw says with finality. “That should hold it, at least for now.”

“Vax, are you okay?” Pike rushes over now, worry in her blue eyes as she crouches down to be eye-level with Vax.

He grits his teeth. His head is still pounding from the impact from his fall, but when he reaches up to touch his hair, at least his fingers don’t come away bloody. His leg, however… Vax glances down to see one of his pantlegs in crimson tatters.

“Been better, but I’ll be fine.”

“I think we need to get out of here,” Keyleth says, a tone of urgency darkening her normally light and cheery voice. “Right now, actually. We should probably tell someone about that thing, right? What  _ was _ that?”

Vax feels a slight jolt of worry in his stomach. If they tell someone, that means that they’ll have to say where they were, which probably means more trouble. He’s spared the panic, though, as his sister snarls from above him,

“We can talk about that later, but right now, my brother’s hurt. So let’s just go and get out of here before something else terrible happens.”

Maybe it’s the stinging pain in his leg and the throbbing in his skull, but Vax could swear that he hears the echoes of guilt ringing in his sister’s voice.

A moment later, Vax is slowly getting to his feet with the help of Vex, Keyleth, and Pike, as the lot of them hurry to the door and burst out of the house and out into the Saturday afternoon air.

Which might have been the end of it, if Professor Allura Vysoren hadn’t been rushing up the pathway towards the door. They all freeze as they look at each other warily, and Vax only has one word flash through his mind.

_ Fuck. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -sweats- I'm so sorry for slower updates. I don't work on this as often as I should, but I'm glad people are still enjoying! It's been a long time since I've gotten far enough into a work to actually write some action, so I'm fairly rusty. Hopefully everything read okay, but now there's some more mystery and excitement in the story! Hope you guys had fun reading, and I'll update when I can.~ You guys are amazing!


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